Do salty foods make you hungrier? Or do they help you burn more calories? A new study finds that salt has unexpected effects on hunger and weight loss. Learn how this affects you
Most of the warnings we hear about reducing the amount of salt in our diets have to do with reducing the risks related to high blood pressure. But a new study suggests another reason that some people may want to curtail their sodium intake: Eating salty foods may make you hungrier.
I’ve always suspected on an intuitive level that salty foods might lead you to eat more than you otherwise would—simply because they can be tasty.
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For example, I am likely to eat more salted nuts than unsalted nuts. Even though I enjoy the flavor of unsalted nuts, somehow salted nuts are more compelling. Instead of having a handful and feeling satisfied, as I might with unsalted almonds or cashews, I just want to keep eating salted nuts.
In fact, one of the things that I suggest for people who find it difficult to observe portion control when eating nuts is to switch to the unsalted variety.
But this recent study found something even more interesting, and way more complicated.
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